The present invention relates in general to working vehicles such as materials handling vehicles, construction vehicles and agricultural vehicles, and more particularly to an operator's seat that is capable of swiveling and/or rotating, and to control systems that interact with the operator's seat to affect control of features of the vehicle.
Materials handling vehicles typically include a platform having an operator's seat and a number of control elements located in the vicinity of the seat within reach of the operator's hands and/or feet. The control elements typically include steering and traction controls for navigating the vehicle and various switches and levers, which are provided for operating the load handling features of the vehicle. In a first type of materials handling vehicle, such as a Crown turret stockpicker (TSP), the operator's seat is oriented such that an operator sits or stands in a forward facing position, i.e., facing the forks of the vehicle, so that it is easier for an operator to pick parts (stock pick) from the vehicle. The turret stockpicker can travel down narrow warehouse aisles to pick up and put away stock from either side of a given aisle. During such operations however, a head turn or other maneuver may be required to be able to see to the sides, and rear of the vehicle.
In a second type of materials handling vehicle, such as a Crown turret sideloader (TS), an operator's seat is provided to one side of an operator's compartment facing approximately 90 degrees with respect to the forward facing position of the vehicle. A seated operator is thus considered to be in a “side facing” position, i.e., facing the side of the vehicle. The operator also has forward and rearward visibility by a head turn in the appropriate direction. The side facing position allows the operator to see around a mast centered on the vehicle, and provides more free space within the operator's compartment. However, the operator's head must be turned while driving the vehicle. Moreover, stockpicking from the second type of materials handling vehicle is typically not feasible.